Why is nobody talking about the Iraq pullout?

[candyman]

I was just wondering why a recent news story like the troops leaving Iraq hasn't popped up in almost any online forum. Has everyone just stopped caring that much or are we just too used to hearing the same shit over and over again?

Things are changing over there. I am just interested in hearing what people know or think about the situation. I mean, we are never leaving the place it is just changing from a deployment to a permanent duty station that with have moving FOB's to control the outlying areas. The "war" will be "over" once the duty station is finalized...kinda...that has to count for something right?

So, what have you all heard? Opinions? Ideas for what we should name the new permanent base that will soon be built?

[StormKnight (1)]

Our friends and family who are still in uniform are getting out of harm's way. I know there will be advisors for a while.

[st_masey]

I'm grateful that we can get our people out of there to the degree we have. However, we should never have been there to begin with and will be the enduring discussion of that debacle. What a disgraceful legacy for American politicians.

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

To truly talk about it we would have to give some credit where credit is due. That would mean giving a compliment to Bush.

We are pulled out 100,000+ troops exactly on the schedual that Bush negotiated with al-Maliki. We were able to do that because the Surge, that Obama and Biden both said was going to fail in fact they said it would make things worse), did not in fact fail.

[phee]

They are just being sent to Afghanistan anyway *sigh*

And yes... the surge did work.

[Saint Germain]

Cause the real winner of the war is the Iranian regime.

[LoTek]

Just because we pulled out doesn't mean Iraq won't get pregnant.

[phee]

Just because we pulled out doesn't mean Iraq won't get pregnant.

True... it is pretty fucked

[Epic_Fail_Guy]

I'm grateful that we can get our people out of there to the degree we have. However, we should never have been there to begin with and will be the enduring discussion of that debacle. What a disgraceful legacy for American politicians.

It's really not a total loss though. The times I was out there, we were getting along with the iraqi's alot better than when we did before.. my first deployment consisted of aiming at the heads of everything. This last deployment consisted of actually in a way, working side by side with them, you'd get to know them on a personal level, and they'd get to know you, so instead of an enemies of each other due to a way of life neither of us understood, to both sides seeing the other as a person who can find common grounds of friendship for. So if nothing else, it might be the first steps of 2 cultures finally merging and understanding eachother as nations. But I still agree with you on the part that, even though there is progress now, we totally embarrassed ourselves over just how much of a clusterfuck we caused.

They are just being sent to Afghanistan anyway *sigh*

And yes... the surge did work.

yeah... what you said.. in a nutshell

Cause the real winner of the war is the Iranian regime.

Yeah, they're pretty much the bastards that are still going across the border and causing all the faggotry in iraq now...

Just because we pulled out doesn't mean Iraq won't get pregnant.

We're not at exactly, "one night stand" status with this country anymore... we were like the douche bag guy that knocked his girl up, stayed with her, found out she's pregnant, totally freaks out, and is totally bouncing out of any long term relationship the girl was looking forward to. And the guy just can't admit that he's gonna be stuck with her one way or another because of a kid...

Edited September 2, 2010 by Epic_Fail_Guy

[kat (1)]

Just because we pulled out doesn't mean Iraq won't get pregnant.

I was thinking the same metaphor.

[candyman]

Well as far as the advisor comment we are going far beyond that. The plans we have heard of for the permanent duty station are pretty elaborate to say the least. Manning that with merely advisors would not work. They want to include a sort of "basic training" section for the local forces too.

No matter what people say it NOT going to be a jumping point for invading Iran or deterring any actions by them...totally not true. Also, we are not sending more troops into South Korea...but if that is in my orders I am going to flip shit.

WE did not embarrass ourselves...the people that hold the leash on the military did all that by themselves. The combination of a "suit" controlled military and the horrible sanity vacuum that is the UN did that...and they did that for every other conflict that "we" fucked up. Until we get someone in charge that has 5 stars on his uniforms we won't accomplish jack shit. They can get shit done because of the rank structure and mostly because of the people that make the important decisions on what to do, who will do it, and how they will do it. Or we could raise Pershing from the dead and have him take back his position...and get pissed at the shitty tank we named after him.

Bottom line is we continue to let people not associated with the military AT ALL call all the shots...poorly aimed shots that is. We wouldn't have 8 different "pull outs" and a million cease fires if the military controlled itself. Hell, the politicians are telling me and the other soldiers that we can't do PT in the heat and that we can't do certain workouts that could hurt people...its complete bullshit. I should not have to workout in secret...

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

Well as far as the advisor comment we are going far beyond that. The plans we have heard of for the permanent duty station are pretty elaborate to say the least. Manning that with merely advisors would not work. They want to include a sort of "basic training" section for the local forces too.

No matter what people say it NOT going to be a jumping point for invading Iran or deterring any actions by them...totally not true. Also, we are not sending more troops into South Korea...but if that is in my orders I am going to flip shit.

WE did not embarrass ourselves...the people that hold the leash on the military did all that by themselves. The combination of a "suit" controlled military and the horrible sanity vacuum that is the UN did that...and they did that for every other conflict that "we" fucked up. Until we get someone in charge that has 5 stars on his uniforms we won't accomplish jack shit. They can get shit done because of the rank structure and mostly because of the people that make the important decisions on what to do, who will do it, and how they will do it. Or we could raise Pershing from the dead and have him take back his position...and get pissed at the shitty tank we named after him.

Bottom line is we continue to let people not associated with the military AT ALL call all the shots...poorly aimed shots that is. We wouldn't have 8 different "pull outs" and a million cease fires if the military controlled itself. Hell, the politicians are telling me and the other soldiers that we can't do PT in the heat and that we can't do certain workouts that could hurt people...its complete bullshit. I should not have to workout in secret...

Back when I joined the Army we had to take this oath. We had to swear to defend and uphold this musty old document. Perhaps you have heard of it. It's called the Constitution of the United States. In it, control of the military is given to Congress. It even says whythats a good thing.

The real problem with our command structure is that people in Congress care more about the next election than doing what needs to be done to win a war.

[Rev.Reverence]

Back when I joined the Army we had to take this oath. We had to swear to defend and uphold this musty old document. Perhaps you have heard of it. It's called the Constitution of the United States. In it, control of the military is given to Congress. It even says whythats a good thing.

The real problem with our command structure is that people in Congress care more about the next election than doing what needs to be done to win a war.

[candyman]

Back when I joined the Army we had to take this oath. We had to swear to defend and uphold this musty old document. Perhaps you have heard of it. It's called the Constitution of the United States. In it, control of the military is given to Congress. It even says whythats a good thing.

The real problem with our command structure is that people in Congress care more about the next election than doing what needs to be done to win a war.

I know that much dude. But the command structure has changed alot since WW2. While Congress has always been able to give commands they have not always been able to give the same commands as they do today.

They have mandated what kinds of ammunition we need...how do they know?

They keep changing the PT workouts to "better" ones and now more people are scoring lower on their PT tests.

They call cease fires and the most moronic times when a push is necessary.

The American people "know" so much about the war because we a treating it like a basketball game. Lots of breaks for media coverage. They way we keep treating conflicts hell no we will never win. It will just develop into a quagmire that will fester into a clusterfuck and then we will attach a permanent base. Its really stupid to have the ability to cover all of the bases but not to use that. Congress can make decisions sure...but when it comes to the tactical decisions they need to back off because they are treating the whole war thing as sort of a game that all the other countries are watching.

You don't have to talk to me like I am a fucking 2 year old...since we are kinda on the topic of rank my WO and OCS packets are already in the works and I don't even have NCO status yet...I guess the must be rewarding me for being a complete retard huh?

[Rev.Reverence]

WOW...you did not just say 'WWII'...

...that's RAW, Dude....& there is no need to get an ego over your CHOSEN JOB of soldier, because, well, it don't mean you know everythin'...just sayin'.

[candyman]

WOW...you did not just say 'WWII'...

...that's RAW, Dude....& there is no need to get an ego over your CHOSEN JOB of soldier, because, well, it don't mean you know everythin'...just sayin'.

I know that. I just get a little pissed when people talk down to me...you know telling me about documents that exist like I don't know what the hell they are.

Whats wrong with mentioning WW2? It was in reference to how things have been handled. Yes there have been many more changes since then but there were major overhauls made then that affected many of the ones we have today.

I don't think that I know everything. But when it comes to my chosen field I have to know alot about it. If I don't then its easy to get lost in the ranks and its just asking for UCMJ to bite you in the ass. Yeah I chose this job and I knew that people would just me shit for choosing the job...but damn sometimes people take the whole thing where soldiers have to be idiots WAY too far. I sometimes wonder if college was even worth the time and effort because age still seems to be the deciding factor...

[Rev.Reverence]

...with age, comes experience...

..again, just saying.

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

I know that. I just get a little pissed when people talk down to me...you know telling me about documents that exist like I don't know what the hell they are.

Whats wrong with mentioning WW2? It was in reference to how things have been handled. Yes there have been many more changes since then but there were major overhauls made then that affected many of the ones we have today.

I don't think that I know everything. But when it comes to my chosen field I have to know alot about it. If I don't then its easy to get lost in the ranks and its just asking for UCMJ to bite you in the ass. Yeah I chose this job and I knew that people would just me shit for choosing the job...but damn sometimes people take the whole thing where soldiers have to be idiots WAY too far. I sometimes wonder if college was even worth the time and effort because age still seems to be the deciding factor...

I am not giving you shit for your chosen job. I served 8 years myself.

Also, and I can't believe I am about to defend Congress, you are bitching about changes Congress is making to military requirements/conditions like they make them in some vaccum. Like there are not Generals and civilian military experts advising them. You are bitching that Congress is not running the War they way you would. Excuse me while I listen to the violins playing for you.

[candyman]

I am not giving you shit for your chosen job. I served 8 years myself.

Also, and I can't believe I am about to defend Congress, you are bitching about changes Congress is making to military requirements/conditions like they make them in some vaccum. Like there are not Generals and civilian military experts advising them. You are bitching that Congress is not running the War they way you would. Excuse me while I listen to the violins playing for you.

Oh yeah they are advising...but people don't have to listen to them and they often don't. For instance our new gear that we are supposed to get has been changed once again. EVERYONE was supposed to get the new update...now its only certain units that deploy and not even all of them will get it. New armor that protects better with quick release systems built into it combined with a tactical vest that evenly distributes ammo and makes it easier to reach is needed by ALL of the troops on deployment.

It is not the way I would run it...its the way that worked alot better when one political body did not hold all the reigns. Yes they do have to make decisions and yes outside sources are needed for advisement. However, its gotten to the point of stupidity now. What we do for PT should be up to us unless we are under TRADOC command...and even then we need the PT to make the soldiers stronger so some elbow room should be left. They are pulling UCMJ on Sgts that make their troops do flutter kicks!

All I am saying is that we need the positions back where the person could meet the REQUESTS of congress while still allowing their forces to be effective. We are taking alot of the bite out of our forces because of the lack of training and how they can use it.